BALTIMORE, MD—U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents apprehended an unlawfully present 19-year-old Guatemalan national convicted of raping a Maryland resident. Deportation arrested Henry Argueta-Tobar on August 14 in Waldorf.

“After unlawfully entering our country, Henry Argueta-Tobar made his way to Maryland and victimized one of our residents,” said Enforcement and Removal Operations Baltimore acting Deputy Field Office Director Vernon Liggins. “We could not allow him to continue to threaten our communities. ERO Baltimore will continue to prioritize public safety by relentlessly pursuing unlawfully present sexual predators and egregious criminal noncitizens.”

U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Argueta on May 21, 2019 after he unlawfully entered the U.S. near El Paso, Texas, as an accompanied minor. Officials served Argueta with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

On May 23, 2019, U.S. Border Patrol transferred custody of Argueta to ERO El Paso. Later that day, ERO El Paso released Argueta on an order of recognizance.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office arrested Argueta December 22, 2023, and charged him with rape in the second degree.

ERO Baltimore lodged an immigration detainer against Argueta on Dec. 27, 2023, with the Charles County Detention Center in La Plata.

The Charles County Detention Center failed to honor ERO Baltimore’s immigration detainer and released Argueta from custody on an unknown date.

On Feb. 12, a Department of Justice immigration judge in Baltimore ordered Argueta removed to Guatemala.

On July 3, the Circuit Court for Charles County convicted Argueta of rape in the second degree and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment followed by five years of supervised probation. The court then suspended all but 190 days of the prison sentence.

Deportation officers from ERO Baltimore’s Fugitive Operations Team arrested Argueta in Waldorf. Argueta remains in ERO custody.

Photo via ERO Baltimore